Persecution of Assyrian Christians

by Hon. Luis V. Gutierrez of Illinois in the U.S. House of Representatives - May 14, 1998.

Posted: Friday, June 09, 2000 at 05:44 PM CT

[Mr. GUTIERREZ] Mr. Speaker, I rise today to urge my colleagues to recognize the
religious persecution and ethnic bigotry confronting the Assyrian Christian
community in Eastern Turkey, Syria, Northern Iraq and Iran. As we consider the
Freedom from Religious Persecution Act, I believe that the record should
document our Nation's concern and commitment to stopping the violence and
oppression facing the Assyrian people.

The Assyrian people have faced persecution throughout their history. As a
religious and linguistic minority throughout the Near East, Assyrian Christians
have long been the victims of violence and repression. Forced assimilation and
gross brutality against this persevering people have occurred too often. From
the murder of thousands of Assyrians by the Iraqi military in August of 1933,
known as the Simele Massacre, to the recent attacks on Assyrian villages in
Northern Iraq by Kurdish terrorist factions, the Assyrian people have and still
continue to be the victims of violent persecution for their beliefs and values.

More than 30 Assyrians have been killed in Southeastern Turkey during the past
three years. Assyrian Christians are caught in the escalating warfare that has
long engulfed this crossroads at the head of two ancient rivers, the Tigris and
Euphrates. The conditions facing Assyrian Christians continue to deteriorate. It
is also clear that our nation must do more to protect the Assyrian people, their
unique culture and their religious freedoms.

Reports of religious intolerance toward members of the Syriac Orthodox Church
and the Church of the East have been documented by United Nations (UN) human
rights observers. The education of young Assyrians about their history and the
traditions of their ancestors has been prevented by national and local
authorities across the region. This persecution threatens the ability of
Assyrians to

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freely practice their faith in their ancient homeland. I believe our Government
should pursue a policy that works to end this blatant religious bigotry toward
Assyrian Christians. We must work with local and national leaders in Turkey to
demand that the religious and civil rights of the Assyrian people be protected
under Turkish laws. We must continue to pressure the various Kurdish factions
across the region to respect the rights and autonomy of individual Assyrian
towns and villages. We must also maintain the safe zone in Northern Iraq, to
ensure that Saddam Hussein's tyranny cannot cause further destruction of the
Assyrian community.

The traditions and customs of the Assyrian people have endured for countless
generations. Our Nation must do all it can to ensure that these proud people can
continue to abide and thrive in their ancestral homeland for countless more.